furnished out our Christmas entertainment. Here we likewise saw a few
penguins, of a species which we had not met with before, some large
petrels of the size of albatrosses, being the same species which the
Spaniards name _que-branta-huessos_, or the bone-breakers, and some
shags."--G.F.]

Next day, being January the 1st, 1775, finding that nothing was wanting
but a good harbour to make this a tolerable place for ships to refresh
at, whom chance or design, might bring hither, I sent Mr Gilbert over to
Staten Land in the cutter to look for one. Appearances promised success
in a place opposite the ship. I also sent two other boats for the lions,
&c. we had killed the preceding day; and soon after I went myself, and
observed the sun's meridian altitude at the N.E. end of the island,
which gave the latitude 54° 40' 5" S. After shooting a few geese, some
other birds, and plentifully supplying ourselves with young shags, we
returned on board, laden with sea-lions, sea-bears, &c. The old lions
and bears were killed chiefly for the sake of their blubber, or fat, to
make oil of; for, except their haslets, which were tolerable, the flesh
was too rank to be eaten with any degree of relish. But the young cubs
were very palateable, and even the flesh of some of the old lionesses
was not much amiss, but that of the old males was abominable. In the
afternoon I sent some people on shore to skin and cut off the fat of
those which yet remained dead on shore, for we had already more carcases
on board than necessary; and I went myself, in another boat, to collect
birds. About ten o'clock Mr Gilbert returned from Staten Land, where he
found a good port, situated three leagues to the westward of Cape St
John, and in the direction of north, a little easterly, from the N.E.
end of the eastern island. It may be known by some small islands lying
in the entrance. The channel, which is on the east side of these
islands, is half a mile broad. The course is in S.W. by S., turning